Bernucci Wins Stage 6 of Tour

Lorenzo Bernucci (Fassa Bortolo) has won Stage 6 of the Tour de France. Bernucci rode away from the peloton to take the rolling, 199-km run from Troyes to Nancy in 4:12:52. The Italian finished just ahead of Alexander Vinokourov (T-Mobile), with Robert Forster (Gerolsteiner) taking the bunch sprint for third at 0:07. Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) remains the maillot jaune .

The stage was ridden in overcast, rainy conditions. After several abortive sallies, Christophe Mengin (La Francaise des Jeux) sortied and was joined by Mauro Gerosa (Liquigas), Karsten Kroon (Rabobank), Jaan Kirsipuu (Credit Agricole), and Stephane Auge (Cofidis). The quintet?s lead grew to 2:30 at 47 km, 4:25 at 60 km, 5:25 at 72 km, and 6:50 at 83 km.

At 99 km, with the escapees leading by more than eight minutes, Quick Step and Davitamon began to chase. The break?s lead fell to about 7:00 at 106 km, 5:09 at 141 km, and 2:20 at 169 km.

On the Category 4 Cote de Maron (185 km), the day?s final climb, Mengin dropped his companions. His lead maxed out at 0:30, and he led the peloton with 0:15 with three km remaining.

Vinokourov burst out of the pack, and Bernucci followed him. With one km left, the pair reached Mengin, who crashed on the last turn. Vinokourov slowed to avoid hitting Mengin, and Bernucci bolted away for the win.

Behind, a crash wiped out Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Stuart O?Grady (Cofidis), Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros), and Baden Cooke (La Francaise des Jeux). Armstrong and other overall contenders lost 0:19 to Vinokourov, who is in third place on GC.

In the overall, Armstrong leads teammate George Hincapie by 0:55 and Vinokourov by 1:02. Stage 3 will not change this state of affairs. The 228-km run from Luneville to Karlsruhe, Germany will feature a Category 4 and a Category 3 climb in the first third of the stage, but the final two thirds will be flat. Look for another bunch sprint. Who will take it? Robbie McEwen (Davitamon)? Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole)? Tom Boonen (Quick Step)? Check in at http://www.roadcycling.com/ and find out!